Pilot Study of Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT)

A Proof-of-concept Pilot Study to Determine the Safety and Effectiveness of the Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT) in Healthy Participants.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a serious, chronic sleep-related breathing disease in which the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep, leading to intermittent oxygen deprivation. This pilot study will evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT) in up to 10 healthy participants. Participants will undergo 2 separate home sleep apnea tests (HSAT) approximately 1 week apart and will be randomly assigned to wear the NPNT device at either night 1 or night 2 of HSAT. Participation will include 5 on-site visits and 1 phone call over approximately 1 month.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Obstructive; Sleep Disorder (Disorder); Obstructive Apnea
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT)

Detailed Description

Purpose: To determine the safety and efficacy of the Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT) in Healthy Participants.

Negative pressure neck therapy (NPNT) uses a self-contained, non-invasive, external device to apply a gentle, outward pulling effect around the neck's surface.

Hypothesis: Given the exploratory nature and small sample size no formal hypothesis testing will be conducted

Objectives:

Primary Objective:

1. To determine if NPNT can effectively reduce the number of apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) events (sleep disorder breathing events) in healthy participants.

Secondary Objectives:

1. To determine the tolerability of the NPNT
2. To determine the duration of time required for acclimating to the device
3. To determine the NPNT parameters (optimal device fit) based on participant characteristics.
4. To collect feedback from participants regarding the device use, comfort, fit, function, usability, etc.

Safety and Efficacy Objectives:

1. To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of NPNT
2. To assess potential side effects of NPNT.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 10
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Research Manager; Phone Number: 62500 6048754111; Email: Shelley.Abercromby@vch.ca

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 1M9
      • Centre for Lung Health
      • Contact: Phone Number: 6048754122
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 2B5
      • Leon Judah Blackmore Centre for Sleep Disorders
      • Contact: Phone Number: 6048754122

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index ≤42 kg/m2
• Able to speak, read, and write English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Known sleep disorder such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, idiopathic hypersomnolence or chronic insomnia
• No previous surgery, injury, or radiation to the neck
• Excessive hair or beard in the area of the neck, and/or unwillingness to shave that area for the duration of this study
• Inflammatory skin condition, such as acne or eczema in the neck area
• Known silicone allergy
• Night shift work because of irregular sleep-wake cycles
• Excessive alcohol intake, defined as that leading to interference with work, home life, or the ability to optimally perform normal everyday duties and tasks
• Use of illicit drugs currently or within the past 5 years
• Serious pulmonary disease
• Use of home oxygen or oxygen saturation <94%
• Cancer that has been in remission for less than one year
• Previous surgery for peripheral arterial disease

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Device Feasibility
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group 1; One night of Home sleep apnea testing (HSAT) with Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT) intervention, followed by 7 night washout, then one night of HSAT only	Device: Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT); Negative pressure neck therapy (NPNT) is a self-contained, non-invasive, soft, flexible, external neck collar
Experimental: Group 2; One night of HSAT only, followed by 7 night washout, then one night of HSAT with NPNT intervention.	Device: Negative Pressure Neck Therapy (NPNT); Negative pressure neck therapy (NPNT) is a self-contained, non-invasive, soft, flexible, external neck collar

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Comparison of the number of sleep-disordered breathing events between intervention and control nights as assessed by Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT).	Change between control night and intervention night on mean AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) scores. A positive treatment effect will be attributed to the NPNT device if the difference between the mean AHI score on intervention night is less than the mean AHI score on control night. A score of less than 0 is positive. Measurement Tool: HSAT (Home Sleep Apnea Test) Unit of Measure: AHI (Apnea-Hypopnea Index) scores	1 night

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Tolerability of NPNT device based on duration of time (hours) worn during NPNT intervention night as assessed by Participant Report and Home Sleep Apnea Test (HSAT)	Wear time (hours) of NPNT device will be assessed for each participant during the NPNT intervention night, after 7 day NPNT acclimatization period. Mean, median, range of tolerability of scores will be reported. Measurement Tool: Participant Reported and HSAT (Home Sleep Apnea Test) Unit of Measure: hours	1 night
Participant Characteristics will be assessed compared to NPNT device fit/shape based on participant response on the Device Evaluation Questionnaire using Likert scores.	Descriptive participant traits (age, BMI, craniofacial markers, etc.) will plotted against NPNT device fit/shape Likert scores from the Device Evaluation Questionnaire above and below a score of 3. For example, fit/shape Likert score rating by BMI category. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire and Participant demographics Unit of Measure: Likert Score	1 night
Participant reported device tolerability will be assessed using the Device Evaluation Questionnaire Likert scale responses.	Proportion of participants rating NPNT device as "tolerable" (≥3 on Likert scale) during NPNT intervention night, after 7 day acclimatization period. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire Unit of Measure: Likert scale	1 night
Participant Reported Feedback on shape and fit of NPNT device as assessed by the Device Evaluation Questionnaire using a Likert Scale (≥3 on Likert scale)	Proportion of participants rating device as "Moderate/good/excellent" (e.g., ≥3 on Likert scale). Mean, median, range of shape/fit scores, including a breakdown by demographic/ BMI group will be assessed after NPNT intervention night and 7 day acclimatation period. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire Unit of Measure: Likert scale	1 night
Participant Feedback on NPNT device comfort, usability and function based on the Device Evaluation Questionnaire using a Likert scale	Proportion of participants rating device comfort, usability and function as ≥3 on Likert scale. Mean, median, range of device comfort, usability and function scores, including a breakdown by demographic/ BMI group will be assessed after NPNT intervention night and after 7 day acclimatation period. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire Unit of Measure: Likert scale	1 night
Participant Feedback on NPNT device based on qualitative data (open comments) from the Device Evaluation Questionnaire after the NPNT device intervention night.	Qualitative data will be summarized using simple thematic coding based on participant open comment section of the Device Evaluation Questionnaire after the NPNT device intervention night, after 7 day acclimatization period. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire Unit of Measure: Qualitative data (open comments)	1 night

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Adverse Events based on Device Evaluation Questionnaire responses to adverse device effects after NPNT intervention night and 7 night acclimatization period.	Device specific adverse events (skin irritation, redness or rash, discomfort or pain, swelling, other) will be assessed using a scale of 1 to 5 (not at all, mild, moderate, severe, very severe) after the NPNT intervention night and 7 night acclimatization period. Measurement Tool: Device Evaluation Questionnaire Unit of Measure: Scale of 1-5 (1-not at all, 2-mild, 3-moderate, 4-severe, 5-very severe)	8 nights

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of British Columbia
• Collaborators: Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: John A Fleetham, MD, VCHA/UBC

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): January 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 25, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 10, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): December 24, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 24, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 10, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea; sleep apnea; sleep disordered breathing
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Respiration Disorders; Apnea; Sleep Disorders, Intrinsic; Dyssomnias; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Sleep Apnea Syndromes; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive; Sleep Wake Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: H25-02563

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED
• IPD Plan Description: This is a pilot study, so only IPD used in the results publication may be shared in the future.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No